US3644191A - Sputtering apparatus - Google Patents

Sputtering apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
US3644191A
US3644191A US806972A US3644191DA US3644191A US 3644191 A US3644191 A US 3644191A US 806972 A US806972 A US 806972A US 3644191D A US3644191D A US 3644191DA US 3644191 A US3644191 A US 3644191A
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United States
Prior art keywords
electrode
target
cathode
anode
sputtering apparatus
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Expired - Lifetime
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US806972A
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English (en)
Inventor
Katsuo Matsushima
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Toshiba Corp
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Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co Ltd
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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
    • C23C14/22—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the process of coating
    • C23C14/34—Sputtering
    • C23C14/35—Sputtering by application of a magnetic field, e.g. magnetron sputtering
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J37/00—Discharge tubes with provision for introducing objects or material to be exposed to the discharge, e.g. for the purpose of examination or processing thereof
    • H01J37/32—Gas-filled discharge tubes
    • H01J37/34—Gas-filled discharge tubes operating with cathodic sputtering
    • H01J37/3402—Gas-filled discharge tubes operating with cathodic sputtering using supplementary magnetic fields

Definitions

  • a plasma is formed between a cylindrical first electrode and a second electrode concentric with the first electrode. Either one of the electrodes is made of a material to be sputtered and the surface of the other electrode is covered by a thin film of the sputtered material.
  • This invention relates to sputtering apparatus capable of forming thin films having uniform thickness and crystal structure oncylinders or columns.
  • sputtering means as technique wherein a material mounted on a cathode electrode electrode is sputtered by the bombardment of ions formed by electric discharge and then deposited on an anode electrode or a substrate located close to the anode electrode to form a thin film of the material.
  • thesputtering apparatus including diode or triode structure apparatus.
  • electrodes themselves act as a target and a member to be coated with sputtered material respectively.
  • a third electrode is provided to form a plasma.
  • a magnet is used to focus a plasma.
  • direct current (DC) sputtering apparatus including two electrodes for creating glow discharge is used most widely.
  • FIG. 1 schematically illustrates such a DC sputtering apparatus.
  • a cathode electrode 2 and an anode electrode 3, each in the form of a flat plate, are disposed in parallel opposed relationship in a vacuum chamber 1 connected to an evacuating system, not shown.
  • the target material is mounted on the cathode electrode, or the cathodeelectrode itself is comprised by the target material, and a substrate 4 on which the sputtered material is to be deposited is secured on the surface of the anode electrode'facing the target-The anode electrode is groundedwhile a high potential is applied to the cathode electrode.'While maintaining a steady flow of argon gas, for example,'through thevacuum chamber a high-potential is applied across the anode and cathode electrodes to create glow discharge between them so as to bombard cathode electrode 2 with positively charged argon ions thus depositing the material of the cathode electrode on thesubstrate 4.
  • anode and cathode electrodes are made of parallel flat plates, the distribution of electric field established between these electrodes is not uniform at the edges thereof.
  • lines of electricforce are perpendicular to the surface of electrodes but are bowed at the edges. This means that the speed of deposition of the sputtered material on the substrate secured to the surface of the anode electrode is different at the central portion and at the edge thus resulting in the nonuniformity of thickness and crystal structure of the deposited film.
  • the resulted film is also limited to flat one.'Where acylindrical substrate is used, it is necessary to provide a mechanism for rotating the substrate.
  • An object of this-invention is to provide a sputtering apparatus capable of establishing a uniform field distribution in a discharge space.
  • Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved sputtering apparatus which can form sputtered films having crystals of uniform thickness and structure.
  • Yet another object of this invention is to provide a sputtering apparatus capable of forming thin films on the surface of cylindrical or columnar substrate.
  • a sputtering apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber in which a gas is introduced a first'cylindrical electrode disposed in said chamber, a second electrode disposed 'in said first electrode, said second electrode having an outer peripheral surface of substantially the same configuration as the inner peripheral surface of said first electrode, and means to establish a plasma between said first and second electrodes.
  • the first electrode acts as the cathode while the second electrode as the anode.
  • the cathode electrode is supplied with a negative high potential whereas the anode electrode is grounded.
  • the cathode electrode is made of copper and the anode electrode is made of tungstenrAfter introducing a suitable gas in vacuum chamber, when discharge is created by impressing a-high voltage across the anode and cathode electrodes, the copper comprising the cathode electrode is bombarded by the ions of the gas to deposit copper on the surface of the anode electrode.
  • the cathode electrode serves as of target material and the anode electrode acts also as a substrate on which the sputtered material is to be deposited.
  • cathode and anode electrodes are cylinders disposed concentrically, the field distribution between them is quite uniform thus increasing the effective discharge space region which is particularly effective to obtain uniform thickness and crystal structure of the depositedfilm. Further, in accordancewith this invention it is veryeasy to form-thin films on the surface of cylinders without the necessity of rotating the substrate by a rotating mechanism of special design as heretofore been the practice.
  • a thin film may be formed on the inner surface of a cylindrical body.
  • the sputtering apparatus comprises a vacuum chamber an electroconductiverod disposed in the chamber, a cylindrical target coaxially disposed about the rod and a cathode electrode and an anode electrode disposed adjacent opposite openings, respectively of the target.
  • This embodiment is a sputtering apparatus of the three electrode type.
  • a suitable gas is introduced in the vacuum chamber, a low voltage is impressed across'the-anode and cathode electrodes to create electric discharge and a negative potential is applied to the target. Positive ions of the gas formed by the discharge are caused to bombard the target so that sputtered target material is deposited on the surface of the rod through the plasma.
  • the rate of deposition of the film is increased, contamination by the residual gas is decreased and a film of uniform thickness and crystal structure can be formed on the surface of the cylindrical or columnar rod.
  • HO. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically illustrating an electrode arrangementof a prior art sputtering apparatus
  • FIG. 2 shows a side elevation, partly in section, of one embodiment of the sputtering apparatus according to the present invention
  • FIG. 3 is'a perspective view of electrodes of a modified sputteringapparatus according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 4 shows a longitudinal side elevatiompartly in section, of another modification ofthis invention.
  • tungsten for example and connected on an evacuating system, not shown, is disposed a cylindrical. cathode electrode 12 or a first electrode of tantalum and having dimensions of [.0 mm. thick, 30 mm. inside diameter and 50 mm. height. Within the cathode electrode is concentrically disposed a cylindrical or'columnar nickel anode 13, of 1.8 mm. in diameter. The anode. electrode 13 is secured to a support 14 which is grounded. A negative high voltage is supplied to cathode electrode 12 through a conductor 15 connected to a power source of high voltage, not shown, the conductor l5 being insulated from the support 16 by means of an insulator l7.
  • a cooling device for the cathode electrode 12 and a cylindrical shutter may be provided between anode and cathode electrodes.
  • the interior of the vacuum chamber 11 is evacuated by the evacuating system.
  • argon gas is introduced into the chamber through a variable leak valve 18 to a pressure of l0"l0 torr. and a voltage of from 3 to 5 kv. is impressed across the cathode and anode electrodes. It is advantageous to utilize a high reactance transformer to prevent an abnormal discharge.
  • the current capacity is determined dependent upon the area of the cathode electrode. In this case the current density amounts to several milliamperes/cm. on the average. Under these conditions a maximum rate of deposi tion of tantalum of A./min. can be obtained, and the deposited film has substantial adhesion and hardness.
  • a film comprised by sputtered particles can be formed on the external surface of anode electrode 13.
  • cathode electrode 12 acts as a target during sputtering.
  • Positively charged ions of gas created by the electric discharge bombard cathode electrode 12 with high energy to sputter atoms of the material comprising the target. Under this condition substantially equal number of positively charged ions and negatively charged particles or electrons exist to form a plasma.
  • the cathode drop In front of the cathode cylinder 12 facing to the plasma there is formed a region termed as the cathode drop in which the density of the charged particles is low and the intensity of the electric field is high.
  • Positively charged ions are accelerated in this cathode drop region to bombard cathode electrode 12 thus causing sputtering as well as secondary electron emission (y function). Electrons emitted by the 'y function are accelerated to further ionize the discharge gas to sustain discharge.
  • cathode and anode electrodes 12 and 13 are shown concentric, it is not always necessary. Thus for example, even when the axes of anode and cathode electrodes are not in exact alignment the thickness of the film deposited on the surface of anode electrode 13 becomes slightly thinner at portions remote from the inner surface of the cathode electrode. Where it is desired to locally vary the thickness of the deposited film, cathode and anode electrodes may be arranged eccentrically. Should both electrodes become eccen-' tric by some reason, where it is desired to obtain a film of uniform thickness, the anode electrode may be rotated.
  • films are formed on the surface of anode electrode I3, such films can be formed on the inner surface of a cylinder in the following manner. This can be accomplished by mere change of the electrode material and the relative polarity of the potential. More particularly, in the arrangement shown in FIG. 2, anode electrode 13 is made of a target material, cathode electrode 12 is grounded and a high negative potential is applied to anode electrode 13. Then the target material comprising the anode will be sputtered and deposited on the inner surface of cathode electrode 12.
  • films are formed on the surface of anode electrode 13, in the modification shown in FIG. 3, the films are deposited on the surface of a cylinder independent of the anode electrode.
  • an additional cylinder 19 of glass for example is mounted on support 14 to coaxially surround anode electrode 13.
  • the material, tantalum for example, of the cathode will be sputtered to deposit on the outer surface of glass cylinder 19.
  • the width of the deposited film can be increased.
  • the relative potential of anode and cathode electrodes is reversed and the anode electrode is made of a target material such as tantalum.
  • the lower end of anode electrode 13 is received in an opening (not shown) in support 14 and secured thereto by means of a set screw 20.
  • the glass cylinder 19 may be merely placed on support 14.
  • a cylinder of the insulator such as SiO Si N metal oxides of high melting point such as Ta, Nb, Zr, Ti and the like is fit in the cathode electrode 12 shown in FIG. 2 and a high-frequency voltage of about 10 MHz. is applied to the cathode electrode. Then positively charged particles collected on the surface of the cylindrical insulator will be periodically neutralized by negatively charged particles having a mobility several thousand times larger than the former so that the surface of the insulator will become negative with respect to the grounded anode electrode at each half cycle of the high-frequency voltage, during which sputtering is effected to deposit a film of the insulator on the surface of anode electrode 13.
  • EXAMPLE 2 This example illustrates a modified sputtering apparatus employing three electrodes.
  • a cylindrical target or a first electrode 32 of tantalum and having dimensions of 1.5 mm. thick, 70 mm. inside diameter and 50 mm. height is disposed in a vacuum chamber 31 connected to an evacuating system, not shown, and a glass or quartz tube to be coated 33, 10 mm. inside diameter, mm. height and 1.0 mm. wall thickness is mounted on a support 34 of stainless steel for example.
  • a support 34 of stainless steel for example.
  • an electroconductive metal rod 35 or a second electrode made of stainless steel and having a diameter of 5 mm., which is also supported by support 34.
  • An anode electrode 36 comprising a metal circular disk is disposed close to and in parallel with the upper surface of target 32.
  • a cathode electrode 37 is disposed spaced from the lower end of target 32.
  • Target 32 is maintained at a high negative potential with respect to metal rod 35 while the metal rod 35 and the cathode electrode 37 are grounded.
  • Anode electrode 36 is maintained at a low positive potential.
  • a focusing magnet 38 is disposed on the outside of vacuum chamber 31 in parallel with target 34. The purpose of the focusing magnet is to combine the plasma created between anode electrode 36 and cathode electrode 37 within a predetermined region.
  • a potential of 50 V is impressed across anode electrode 36 and cathode electrode 37 to establish a plasma while at the same time a DC power of 1.0 kv. and 60 milliamperes is applied to target 32.
  • the plasma is formed inside target cylinder 32 and the positively charged ions in the plasma bombard the target 32 to deposit a tantalum film on the outer surface of tube 33.
  • parallel plate electrodes are not employed as in the prior art but instead a target cylinder and an electroconductive metal rod respectively acting as a cathode electrode and an anode electrode are disposed concentrically, it is possible to increase the volume of uniform discharge, thus resulting in uniform thickness and crystal structure of the deposited film. Further, it is possible to deposit films on both inside and outside surfaces of a cylinder.
  • a sputtering apparatus comprising:
  • a rodlike metallic electrode electrically connected to ground and disposed coaxially within said cylindrical target and spaced from said cylindrical target;
  • an anode electrode and a cathode electrode disposed within said evacuable chamber spaced from respective ends of said cylindrical target electrode;

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Physical Vapour Deposition (AREA)
US806972A 1968-03-15 1969-03-13 Sputtering apparatus Expired - Lifetime US3644191A (en)

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Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP1990468 1968-03-15

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GB (1) GB1258301A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4041353A (en) * 1971-09-07 1977-08-09 Telic Corporation Glow discharge method and apparatus
US4051063A (en) * 1973-11-20 1977-09-27 United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority Storage of material
US4236994A (en) * 1974-01-24 1980-12-02 United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority Apparatus for depositing materials on substrates
US4268374A (en) * 1979-08-09 1981-05-19 Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated High capacity sputter-etching apparatus
US4990876A (en) * 1989-09-15 1991-02-05 Eastman Kodak Company Magnetic brush, inner core therefor, and method for making such core
US6193853B1 (en) 1999-02-25 2001-02-27 Cametoid Limited Magnetron sputtering method and apparatus
US20040025786A1 (en) * 2002-04-05 2004-02-12 Tadashi Kontani Substrate processing apparatus and reaction container
US20060124588A1 (en) * 1999-01-05 2006-06-15 Berg & Berg Enterprises, Llc System and method for reducing metal oxides with hydrogen radicals
US20080286980A1 (en) * 2005-03-01 2008-11-20 Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc. Substrate Processing Apparatus and Semiconductor Device Producing Method
US20090074984A1 (en) * 2007-09-19 2009-03-19 Hitachi Kokusai Electric, Inc. Substrate processing apparatus and coating method
US20090151632A1 (en) * 2006-03-28 2009-06-18 Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc. Substrate Processing Apparatus
US20110253674A1 (en) * 2008-07-14 2011-10-20 New Optics, Ltd. Method and Chamber for Inductively Coupled Plasma Processing for Cylinderical Material With Three-Dimensional Surface

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AT376460B (de) * 1982-09-17 1984-11-26 Kljuchko Gennady V Plasmalichtbogeneinrichtung zum auftragen von ueberzuegen
FR2559235B1 (fr) * 1984-02-03 1986-05-30 Petroles Cie Francaise Robinet de regulation
CH668565A5 (de) * 1986-06-23 1989-01-13 Balzers Hochvakuum Verfahren und anordnung zum zerstaeuben eines materials mittels hochfrequenz.
DE4042417C2 (de) * 1990-07-17 1993-11-25 Balzers Hochvakuum Ätz- oder Beschichtungsanlage sowie Verfahren zu ihrem Zünden oder intermittierenden Betreiben
DE4022708A1 (de) * 1990-07-17 1992-04-02 Balzers Hochvakuum Aetz- oder beschichtungsanlagen
US5518597A (en) * 1995-03-28 1996-05-21 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Cathodic arc coating apparatus and method

Cited By (22)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4041353A (en) * 1971-09-07 1977-08-09 Telic Corporation Glow discharge method and apparatus
US4051063A (en) * 1973-11-20 1977-09-27 United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority Storage of material
US4236994A (en) * 1974-01-24 1980-12-02 United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority Apparatus for depositing materials on substrates
US4268374A (en) * 1979-08-09 1981-05-19 Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated High capacity sputter-etching apparatus
US4325778A (en) * 1979-08-09 1982-04-20 Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated High capacity etching process
US4990876A (en) * 1989-09-15 1991-02-05 Eastman Kodak Company Magnetic brush, inner core therefor, and method for making such core
US20060124588A1 (en) * 1999-01-05 2006-06-15 Berg & Berg Enterprises, Llc System and method for reducing metal oxides with hydrogen radicals
US6193853B1 (en) 1999-02-25 2001-02-27 Cametoid Limited Magnetron sputtering method and apparatus
US20080251015A1 (en) * 2002-04-05 2008-10-16 Tadashi Kontani Substrate Processing Apparatus and Reaction Container
US7900580B2 (en) * 2002-04-05 2011-03-08 Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc. Substrate processing apparatus and reaction container
US20040025786A1 (en) * 2002-04-05 2004-02-12 Tadashi Kontani Substrate processing apparatus and reaction container
US20080251014A1 (en) * 2002-04-05 2008-10-16 Tadashi Kontani Substrate Processing Apparatus and Reaction Container
US20080121180A1 (en) * 2002-04-05 2008-05-29 Tadashi Kontani Substrate Processing Apparatus and Reaction Container
US8261692B2 (en) 2002-04-05 2012-09-11 Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc. Substrate processing apparatus and reaction container
US8047158B2 (en) * 2002-04-05 2011-11-01 Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc. Substrate processing apparatus and reaction container
US20080286980A1 (en) * 2005-03-01 2008-11-20 Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc. Substrate Processing Apparatus and Semiconductor Device Producing Method
US8251012B2 (en) * 2005-03-01 2012-08-28 Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc. Substrate processing apparatus and semiconductor device producing method
US20090151632A1 (en) * 2006-03-28 2009-06-18 Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc. Substrate Processing Apparatus
US8176871B2 (en) * 2006-03-28 2012-05-15 Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc. Substrate processing apparatus
US20090074984A1 (en) * 2007-09-19 2009-03-19 Hitachi Kokusai Electric, Inc. Substrate processing apparatus and coating method
US20110253674A1 (en) * 2008-07-14 2011-10-20 New Optics, Ltd. Method and Chamber for Inductively Coupled Plasma Processing for Cylinderical Material With Three-Dimensional Surface
US8591711B2 (en) * 2008-07-14 2013-11-26 Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute Method and chamber for inductively coupled plasma processing for cylinderical material with three-dimensional surface

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Publication number Publication date
GB1258301A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1971-12-30

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